ᐅ House Demolition – What to Look for When Choosing a Contractor?

Hello everyone,

Yesterday, I received approval for the demolition of a house and an extension. The goal is to rebuild on the site.
Although this is not a traditional terraced house, the street has houses built almost directly next to each other.

I would now like to contact companies to request cost estimates.

Aside from the price, what should I naturally pay attention to?

Are there any specific certificates or qualifications that the companies should have?

What about insurance—should I ask to see or get confirmation of anything? (In case neighbors raise complaints later on.)

Is there anything else I should consider?

Thank you very much,

Best regards

Hello, you should generally choose companies that have relevant references, as demolition work on existing buildings is not without challenges. Proper documentation is very important! There are engineering firms that provide condition surveys for evidence preservation (charged by the hour). The cost is quite reasonable and well worth it. May I ask which state or region you are in?

If there is a risk, check for the appropriate certificates for asbestos disposal and, if likely, verify that this is included in both the quote and the contract. The same applies to tar (e.g., used for sealing the foundation slab or basement). Otherwise, it can become expensive.
It is important that if asbestos is present, the demolition also complies with the regulations. Our demolition company did not follow these rules (because it was 35°C (95°F) and they didn’t want to wear protective clothing), and the police showed up and stopped the demolition. Fortunately, everything was contractually regulated, but it caused a delay of about two weeks.

For an existing building, I would only use a reputable demolition company that handles this kind of work daily. They are more expensive than janitorial services and similar providers. Some construction companies also offer demolition services, but in your case, I would find that too risky. Especially since their prices are roughly the same as professional demolition firms.

Make sure to insist on disposal certificates (weighing slips).

Get several quotes. For us, the price range was from 40,000 to 100,000. We ended up around 50,000 all-in. However, this was for more than one house. The price went down when we didn’t specify that demolition had to happen in March, but rather that everything had to be cleared by June. This allowed the company to schedule their teams for asbestos removal, gutting, and demolition more flexibly. Disposal was charged based on the actual amount and contamination class.

The builder’s insurance was included with our general contractor and started when demolition began. The expert also visited the site for the first time before demolition started.